Night Lights
by venis-envy
Summary: AH Slash J/E: In Sin City, the entertainment capitol of the world; Jasper finds himself surrounded by temptation. An unlikely turn sees him looking out over the lights rather than hiding in the shadows. Will unrequited love pull him back into the dark?


**Full Summary:**

**AH Slash J/E: In Sin City, the entertainment capitol of the world, Jasper finds himself surrounded by temptations of every kind. An unlikely turn of events sees him looking out over the lights rather than hiding in the shadows. With his life on the up & up, will unrequited love pull him back into the dark? **

**Note:**

**This is my first endeavor in the slash writing. Oodles of thanks to vampireisthenewblack and tjbaby101 for betaing, encouraging, supporting, and just being all around amazing.**

**Twilight isn't mine. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that Stephenie Meyer would condone the shit within this story. And, on that note, be warned; here lies slash below.**

**Night Lights**

With one steel-toed boot, Jasper snuffed out the discarded cigarette, pushing himself off the wall he'd been leaning against.

It was a cold March night in the typically hot, desert city of Las Vegas. Jasper tugged at the lapels of his jacket, pulling it tightly around him as he made his way through the back entrance of the casino. Even behind the closed door of the employee lounge so far away from the gaming floor, he could still hear the dinging and clanking of the slot machines.

Edward sat on a worn leather couch engaged in conversation with another of the casino's dealers. She was petite with soft waves of chestnut hair and eyes that, despite their dark color, were inviting and bright. A pang of sadness struck Jasper as he passed, offering the two a weak nod and halfhearted smile.

As he climbed the stairs to the main level elevator, Jasper smiled, replaying the memory of that night. It had been just over two years since he and Edward met: a fateful January night on Freemont Street, just hours into the New Year...

Edward had looked about Jasper's age then, no older than twenty four. He had been gazing up at the canopy lights above the street, the luminous haze casting an angelic glow on his perfectly chiseled features.

Looking on from a distance, Jasper admired the stranger's perfection. He had been watching the man for the last ten minutes trying to assess his demeanor, determine if the stranger was friendly, approachable. In the average streetlight, the man had a shock of messy bronze hair, but here, under the canopy of dancing LED lights, it appeared to go from bright mahogany to black, only to shift back into a lighter, more coppery hue once more. Jasper wondered what color eyes went with that hair. The gloriously angled features reflected those of Adonis himself, and on more than one occasion within that short measure of time, Jasper found himself longing to run his fingers over the man's cheek—to see if his skin was made of the same cool stone as the statue it seemed to mimic.

Jasper had spent far too much time on the north end of the strip that previous year, mainly right there on Freemont Street. A horrible addiction and the need to fund it drove him there, caused him to live a life of shame and secrecy. His whole reason for hanging out in that area of town was solely to support his habit. Locals came there to sell or trade what they had, be it drugs, stolen electronics or, for the desperate man, a Saturday Night Special. Jasper was not there for drugs or guns, though. His reason that night had not been purchase, but sale. He had learned the quickest way to make the most out of his one and only talent was to target tourists—preferably of the foreign kind. Jasper could make an easy fifty in the ten minutes it took him to suck a man off. In fact, not twenty minutes ago had he done just that for a tall German fellow with a heavy wallet. Men were his preference, though he had always been willing to fuck a beautiful woman while her husband watched, for the right price.

Now, he stood on the sidewalk, staring out into the crowd of drunken tourists who had stopped to watch the light show over the street. Fisting the remaining thirty dollars in his pocket, Jasper contemplated approaching the man socially, offering to buy him a drink or, if all else failed perhaps offer him a blow job. Just a taste was all he wanted, to see if his skin was as sweet as it looked. It would take bravery of which he didn't normally possess to approach a stranger on the streets under the assumption that he shared Jasper's sexual preference. But a man learns very little from hiding silently in the shadows, so with a steady demeanor and a nostril full of recently purchased powdered confidence, Jasper decided to approach the beautiful man. Steeling his temporary courage, he stepped off the curb and pushed his way through the crowd, halting mere feet from his target.

Jasper cleared his throat, preparing to lift his voice over the chatter of the tourists. Inching closer to him, he could now smell a faint hint of the man's cologne combined with the aroma of a night's worth of alcohol. The stranger stood, peering up at the ceiling above them which had taken on the semblance of blue skies and slow-moving clouds.

"They put on quite a show, don't they? Jasper asked. The stranger turned his head, offering a half smile that spread all the way to his emerald eyes. Refracted lights from the buildings around them danced through his irises as Jasper found himself lost in their depths.

They had spent that night talking, drinking and laughing. Edward never mentioned his sexual preference, but Jasper knew there was something in Edward's eyes when he looked at him—something that told Jasper that Edward wanted him almost as much as he wanted Edward.

Ben's voice brought Jasper out of his reminiscence as he moved from the employee elevator into the greenroom of the performance hall. "Ready for round two?" Jasper nodded, smiling as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the hook beside the door.

Two years ago, he would have laughed if someone were to tell him that he'd be clean and sober working as a stripper in the best physical shape of his life. In fact, when Edward had suggested it, Jasper _did_ laugh. It was absurd. Seven months after Edward had helped Jasper clean up and get off the streets, Edward brought up the idea of dancing. He worked as a dealer in the casino and assured Jasper that the male performances were nothing at all like the female pole dancing that came to mind when one mentioned stripping.

He was right. Jasper loved his job; the energy, excitement, fulfilling the fantasies of women and men alike without being reduced to something so degrading as before. It pleased him to know that he could put smiles on the faces of his paying patrons by doing something so fun and energetic. And though he sometimes laughed at the rather silly costumes they'd wear, he knew it was all part of fulfilling dreams, and he was grateful that his life had moved to that point, rather than the nightmare it had been before Edward.

Jasper slipped the soft suede vest over his bare chest, as he donned his favorite costume of the performance. With the cowboy hat tipped low over his eyes, he made his way out onto the stage with his group of co-workers-turned-friends.

After finishing his second performance of the night, Jasper made his way home. He didn't expect Edward to be there yet—usually he would go out after work on Saturday nights—but it didn't keep him from hoping. The apartment was silent as Jasper entered. Disappointment washed over him as he walked down the dark hallway to the bathroom. If he had been in a better mood, he would have met up with Edward and their friends at the club, but all he wanted to do was shower the oil and sweat from his body.

Jasper's mood had been steadily decreasing over the last couple weeks.

For two years, he had set his focus on getting his life in order. Edward had offered him a place to stay and any help that he had needed to get on his feet. He was grateful beyond words for Edward's compassion and generosity, but outside of the beautiful, caring friend that Jasper had made that New Year's Eve, he had also developed a deep, unparalleled love for Edward. For the first year, Jasper had been so focused on cleaning up. Relationships were the farthest thing from his mind. After that, he still turned down advances, feeling as though he would be betraying his love for Edward, even if Edward didn't share his feelings.

He was the man who saved Jasper from himself—the angel who pulled him out of the darkness and showed him what life could be like. And, although he was so close to Edward, Jasper felt eons away. His heart ached to confess his true feelings, but he had never allowed himself to. Edward was his roommate, his friend, his savior. He was everything and yet Jasper felt as though he would never be anything more.

Edward knew Jasper's preference for men, and while he never admitted that he had gone that direction a time or two himself, Jasper knew the truth. He had seen Edward at a club one night a couple of weeks ago with a man, and despite the sharp sting of the confirmation, Jasper was not surprised. It hurt him though. Rejection was a bitter tasting enemy. Jasper had loved Edward so completely, silently dedicating himself to him even knowing that nothing would ever come of it, and to find out Edward wasn't just confused, that he simply just didn't want Jasper, was painfully real to him. It was everything he had always feared. How could his life be so right, so perfectly on track, and yet be so wrong? Edward and Jasper had built a fortress of strength and fortitude, and suddenly Jasper felt as if the walls were crumbling around him.

He felt as though he must not be good enough for Edward. And how could he possibly be? His life was completely different now, but deep down, he'd always be the drug addicted fuck up that needed to be rescued.

He had a decision to make, and he knew it wouldn't be easy. Edward had never needed a roommate; he had only taken Jasper in to help him out. They could remain friends, but their living arrangements were only hurting Jasper and his heart could take no more. Jasper was more than capable of taking care of himself now, and he didn't feel that torturing himself with Edward's presence was necessary anymore.

He stood in the shower, mulling over his thoughts until the water ran cold. Wrapping a towel around his waist, Jasper walked out the bathroom door to the sounds of laughter filling the air. Edward had come home, and brought company. It wasn't unusual for Edward to bring a girl home once in a while, typically once every few months. The walls of their apartment were thin, and the activities going on in Edward's room were never a secret. It killed Jasper a little more each time. The moans and cries of ecstasy reverberating off the walls as Jasper fought back irrational tears. Edward was not his to claim. He never would be.

On this particular night, Jasper felt it might just be more that he could handle. Men, women, it seemed like Edward didn't care who he was with as long as it wasn't Jasper. Stealing a glance into the living room as he passed, Jasper recognized the girl standing by the front door to be the same one Edward had been sitting in the break room with earlier that evening. His stomach turned and his heart threatened to beat out of his chest. How could losing something he never had hurt so badly? If Jasper had never seen Edward with that man, if he was able to go on pretending that Edward was just his friend and straight roommate, things would have been fine. He still would have hurt, but his heart wouldn't have broken. He would have gone on telling himself that the reason he could never have Edward was out of his control, that Edward liked women and there would never be anything Jasper could do to change that. The knowledge that Edward did like men, too, just solidified the fact that it was Jaspers own discrepancies keeping him from the one thing he wanted in life—his own fucked up past that had tainted his future.

Walking into his bedroom, Jasper shut the door behind him, fighting back the sob that threatened to rip through him. He wondered if he could grab enough of his things that night to never return, but decided it best to just get what he needed for the rest of the weekend and find a hotel to stay at. A hotel whose walls were far enough from Edward that the noises of their pleasure wouldn't have to be the cause of Jasper's anguish.

There was a quiet knock on the door before Edward opened it a sliver. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Jasper didn't answer. He couldn't find the words and didn't trust his voice to not betray him. Instead, he stood silently in the center of his room, staring out the window at the bright city lights. "Jasper, is everything all right?" Edward asked again, this time closer.

"Don't you have company?" Jasper asked, hoping to take the spot light off himself long enough to find composure.

"Bella came to borrow a movie. She's gone now." Edward circled Jasper, stopping in front of him. "What's going on?" he asked suspiciously; Jasper was certain the distant, somber look in his own steel-grey eyes was likely arousing concern.

Jasper shook his head, continuing to stare beyond Edward. "Nothing's going on," he lied. Truthfully, everything was going on. His whole world had shifted on its axis in just a matter of weeks. Knowing it was time to finally confront him, Jasper sighed, locking eyes with Edward. "I saw you at the club a couple weeks ago, Edward. With James."

Narrowing his eyes, Edward shook his head in confusion. "I don't… I don't understand. You saw me with James, and?"

_And, what?_ Jasper wondered. _And got jealous? And was hurt?_

"I just…" Jasper shrugged. "I didn't realize…" he shook his head, not quite knowing how to finish the sentence. Of course he had realized. He knew Edward was bi-sexual even before Edward had realized it himself.

"Does that bother you?" Edward asked, a hint of bitterness lacing his tone.

"No, it doesn't fucking bother me. One bit," Jasper said, turning and walking back out into the hall. He needed to get away from Edward before he confessed all of his deep, hidden feelings for him. The sting of rejection was already tainting his mood and he wasn't sure he could handle having his feelings disregarded blatantly if he were to speak them aloud. Jasper wanted to protect himself, shield his heart from the inevitable pain that was to come.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked, following behind him.

"I'm leaving. I can't talk to you about this right now."

"Can't talk to me about what? James? What's there to talk about? It was nothing. James doesn't mean shit to me. But even if he was more, it's not like I'm tied down." Edward's voice rose, emphasizing his point.

"No, it's true," Jasper replied, turning to look at him. It was either his errant emotions, or the cold water that dripped from his hair, running down his bare chest, which caused him to shiver as he met Edward's piercing gaze. "You never even gave me a chance," he said, pain evident in his tone.

"You?" Edward asked incredulously as Jasper turned to walk away again. Reaching out and grabbing his arm, Edward turned Jasper back to him. "Did you ever _want_ a chance, Jasper?"

All he could do was nod weakly in response, tears welling in his eyes now. Ignoring the feelings that threatened to overtake his senses at Edward's touch, he shrugged his arm free, leaning against the wall as a single tear streamed down his cheek.

"How the fuck was I supposed to know that?" Edward asked. "You think I can read your fucking mind, Jasper? Was I just supposed to assume that you wanted me?"

"Wasn't it obvious?" Jasper asked, his own voice sounding faint and hollow even to himself. Jasper laughed sardonically. "Can you honestly tell me that after two fucking years you have no idea how I feel about you?"

Edward shook his head. "I didn't want you to be with me because you felt like you owed me something, Jasper!" he shouted.

Jasper stared vacantly, trying not to feel. "I owe you a lot for what you've done for me, Edward," he said evenly. "But my heart was never an object to repay a debt."

A flash of anger lit Edward's eyes. Slamming an open palm against the wall, he leaned in toward Jasper, his chest heaving from the exertion of their heated conversation. Jasper demeanor was confident and sound, a vast contradiction of the thoughts in his mind. He wondered how far he would have to go to make Edward realize that his feelings for him were genuine. His eyes flashed briefly from Edward's stern gaze to his lips and back again.

"I'm leaving," Jasper said with an air of finality. The charade had gone on long enough. His eyes unintentionally flashed back to Edward's lips once more, and he found himself leaning closer to him, his body betraying his words.

Edward's expression softened as he searched Jasper's eyes, silently pleading with his own. Slowly, Edward closed the distance between them, ghosting his lips over Jasper's.

"I need you to stay," he whispered, the heat of his breath sweetening the air between them.

Jasper's heart threatened to beat out of his ribcage as disbelief washed over him. He decided not to take this moment for granted. Steeling his nerve, he reached out, grasping Edward's hips and drawing him closer. "Show me," he breathed. "Make me believe you want me here."

Shaking his head, Edward squeezed his eyes shut tightly before resting his forehead against Jasper's.

"I can't," he confessed, sounding defeated. "I don't know what I'm doing here; I just know that I need you…" Drawing back to meet his gaze once more, Jasper noted Edward's eyes seemed more alive and vibrant than he had ever seen, smoldering with desire and silent admission before the words finally left his lips. "I'm in love with you."

Jasper's heart skipped a beat, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he processed the words. It was what he had longed to hear for so long, the words every bit as powerful as he had hoped they would be once they were finally spoken aloud.

Pulling him closer, Jasper pressed his lips to Edward's gently, savoring the feel of them against his. The moist warmth of Edward's tongue elicited a soft moan from Jasper as he parted his lips, deepening their kiss. Edward was every bit as sweet as Jasper had always dreamt he would be; warm and soft, yet firm and unyielding. Emotions overtook Jasper as he moved his hands up Edward's body, tangling his fingers into the messy bronze locks. He took every ounce of passion and desire he had felt for Edward over the years, every bit of dedication and friendship and, ultimately, love, and poured it into the kiss. His body spoke the words that his voice dared not share over the course of their friendship.

Breaking their kiss, Edward drew back once more, wiping a tear from the corner of Jasper's eye. "Please don't leave me." His voice wavered as he spoke. "I don't know what to do without you."

Jasper's fingers moved down, hooking into the waistband of Edward's jeans, pulling him near again. "Then just love me, Edward. And let me love you. You don't know how long I've wanted to tell you how I feel, but I never expected to hear it in return."

Edward's free hand tangled in Jasper's hair, drawing him close. He pressed his body against Jasper's, his tongue gently pushing between his lips, sweet with the flavor of Edward and gin.

Physical desire warred with principles and morals as realization dawned on Jasper and left him wondering just how much Edward had had to drink while at the club. He had fantasized about a moment like this for so long, aching to feel Edward's skin against his, to taste him—but was this right?

Edward's hand delicately coaxed Jasper's head back, exposing his neck as Edward trailed moist, warm kisses over his sensitive flesh. Emotions ran wild between them; anger and hurt, to tender affection, to raw lust and passion. Jasper wanted to give in, to silence his thoughts and replace them with the physical pleasure of Edward's touch, but guilt assaulted his conscience. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Suddenly feeling numb from emotional conflict, Jasper moved his hands from the waistband of Edward's pants, trailing a feather-soft touch up his body and pausing at his broad shoulders. With every fiber of will he could muster, Jasper gently pushed Edward away. His heart ached at the loss of contact and he hoped that his eyes would convey the significance of the gesture. Jasper wasn't rejecting him; he was simply resisting the physical need in favor of following through with a clear conscience when they were both of sound mind.

Edward's eyes were full of confusion. "Jasper," he pleaded.

"I won't leave," Jasper replied, his arms trembling slightly as he held Edward away from his overheated body. "I'll stay, and we can talk tomorrow. But this," Jasper shook his head, "this has to wait."

Edward's shoulders slumped slightly as he took a step back, nodding in silent resignation.

Without allowing it a second thought, Jasper moved past him, leaving Edward standing in cold silence as he slipped into his bedroom closing the door behind him.

His hands trembled with the rush of adrenaline as he ran them through his wet hair. Leaning against his door, he gazed thoughtfully out into the city lights until he heard the distant click of Edward's bedroom door shutting down the hall. He was thankful for the emotional turmoil that was responsible for the demise of his throbbing erection. Jasper was determined to think things through logically.

Crossing the room for a better view, he felt the cool night air seep in from the edges of his ill-insulated window, chilling his damp skin and seeping through to his very core. His thoughts kept replaying the scene in the hall, the anger that burned in Edward's emerald eyes at the mention of owing him anything.

Jasper knew it was true. He was a completely different person now than he had been when he met Edward. Drugs every night to maintain a haze in which to feign happiness, turning tricks to afford his habit, weak, hiding from himself and the reality of his choices—ashamed of himself and what he had become. Now he was sober, strong, confident, ambitious, and determined. But all the courage of his convictions seemed to flee him in that critical time in the hall. He loved Edward with his entire heart and soul, there was nothing in this life or the next that he wouldn't do for him, and yet he had been so close to walking away. For two years he had kept his feelings to himself when—if Edward actually meant what he said—all Jasper had to do was tell him. Swallow his fears and admit how entirely in love with him he had been.

His heart sank when he realized that even after Edward's declaration in the hall, Jasper still hadn't told Edward that he loved him. He had confessed it in every indirect way imaginable, even saying "let me love you," but never outright. It was probably for the best. Perhaps those were words better confessed to sober ears.

Jasper thought back to the night he had relapsed with the meth. He had been five months clean and over-confidant in his ability to stay that way. His mistake had been agreeing to meet up with some old friends who were known for false smiles and pockets full of temptation. When he finally came home two days later, Edward had been sick with concern. Coming down off his weekend high, Jasper had taken his bitter callous mood out on Edward. To his impaired mind, it had seemed logical to attack Edward verbally; after all, it was Edward's fault—everything was, or so it seemed at the time. Edward had quietly taken the verbal lashing for hours, refusing to leave Jasper's side even as the angry glares and accusations intensified. When he was finally able to sleep it off, he had passed out on the couch, only to wake up the next afternoon to the sight of a very uncomfortable Edward asleep on their living room floor.

Jasper had been truly and genuinely sorry for that. It was the moment he realized that Edward's friendship was too great a price to pay for a momentary lapse in judgment. He never again allowed himself to be in a situation that would compromise his fragile sobriety.

Scrubbing his hands up and down over his face, Jasper sat on the edge of his bed, fighting for control of his thoughts. After what seemed like hours of conflicting emotions, Jasper weighed his options. He knew Edward had had plenty of one-night-stands in the past. If it turned out that Edward didn't mean what he said, Jasper was the only one who stood to lose anything. If Edward's declaration of love was in fact alcohol induced, it would be nothing more than a fuck to him. He would be the one whose heart was broken and bleeding, but if that was all he could have of Edward, he would gladly accept it.

Finally feeling as though his mind, body and heart were all in agreement, Jasper left his bedroom, quietly padding down the hall to Edward's.

Jasper tapped lightly on the door, but didn't wait for a response before pushing it open and stepping inside. The steady pattern of Edward's breath told him that he was fast asleep. For a moment, he considered leaving, returning to his own room and trying to forget this night all together. He stood in silence, watching as the moonlight shone in, casting its iridescent glow on Edward's bare chest.

Jasper whispered under his breath, "When the stars have all gone out, you'll still be burning so bright." He could fight it no longer. It didn't matter if his heart was broken beyond repair in the morning, tonight, he would have the closeness he so longed for.

Edward had asked him not to leave him, he had told him he was in love with him; surely this wouldn't be too presumptuous, too intrusive. Even if it _had_ been the alcohol guiding his words, there had to have been some modicum of truth behind them.

Jasper inched his way up the bed, bringing his head to rest on the pillow beside Edward. He was close enough that he could feel warm breath on his skin, but far enough away that he could still take in Edward's sleeping form. The solid planes of his chest rose and fell with each breath, his lips slightly parted as the most peaceful, innocent expression graced his beautiful face.

Jasper reached out, delicately stroking his bottom lip with the tip of his finger before bringing his hand down to rest on Edward's chest, calming in the sensation of Edward's heart beating against the palm of his hand. Jasper closed his eyes, grateful to have this moment of serenity. Just as he made to withdraw his hand, long, warm fingers wrapped around his wrist.

His eyes fluttered opened and were met with the deep stare of Edward's green ones, reflecting the moon like shining beacons in the night. Edward said nothing, but continued to stare at Jasper with a familiar softness in his gaze.

Without a single word exchanged between them, Edward moved closer, his hand still holding Jasper's over his heart as the other gently brushed the blonde waves from his face. Jasper closed the remaining distance between them, pressing a tender, meaningful kiss to Edward's lips. His kiss was returned passionately as Edward slipped his tongue out to mingle with Jasper's, his hand tangling into the soft waves of hair once more.

With his palm still splayed against the hard muscles of Edward's chest, Jasper pushed him to his back, following closely behind to hover over him. Jasper swiped his tongue along Edward's bottom lip before kissing him again deeply. With his lips, he traced the edge of Edwards jaw, moving down the column of his neck. He delighted in the small moans that escaped Edward with every brush of moist lips to hot skin. Goose bumps rose as Edward's fingers trailed down Jasper's naked sides. Strong hands gripped his hips pulling Jasper down on top of Edward's solid body. Jasper moaned as he felt Edward's excitement through the thin layers of bed sheet and terry cloth separating them, his own erection throbbing with need. Writhing against him, Jasper brought his mouth up to meet Edward's. The smell of his skin, the taste of his kiss, the way his body felt, it was almost too much for him to take all at once. Wanting to savor every sensation in every second, Jasper slowed his movements, focusing on one long-awaited experience at a time. Edward's tongue was smooth and agile, tasting faintly now of mint and the sweet natural flavor that was his alone. Gently sucking Edward's bottom lip into his mouth, Jasper memorized its fullness, enjoying the feel of the soft flesh between his teeth. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have those sensual lips wrapped around him. For an instant, he allowed himself to get lost in that fantasy as he shifted his hips, sliding his hardness against Edward's.

Edward inhaled sharply, raising his own hips off the bed to meet Jasper's. They continued to taste each other, shifting their bodies against one another languidly as Jasper committed every feeling, both physical and emotional, to his memory. Edward was perfect to him, his taste, his touch, even his smell was incredible.

Edward's aroma was almost of a woodsy nature, it reminded Jasper of being outdoors under the starlit sky. His skin smelled of delicious possibility. Jasper withdrew his mouth from Edward's swollen lips. Kissing a trail down his neck and shoulder, he moved his hand from the spot on which it had been over Edward's accelerating heartbeat, replacing it with a tender open-mouthed kiss before moving on down his muscular body.

Jaspers tongue traced the ridge of Edward's hip bone as he slowly inched the sheet down. Glancing up at him once more, Jasper searched Edward's eyes for permission as he gently gripped him through the sheet, stroking his length. Edward's eyes reflected pleasure and anticipation, encouraging Jasper to continue.

Exhaling a shaky breath, he gave the fabric one final tug, freeing Edward of its confines. The sight of his body, naked before him was amazing; more beautiful than Jasper had imagined it would be, the moonlight illuminating his solid form, shadows emphasizing muscled abs.

As Jasper sat back on his heels, admiring the sight, another whisper of guilt echoed in the recess of his mind. He fought it back, not wanting to allow anything to ruin this moment for him. Nothing but divine intervention could keep him from being with Edward tonight.

Licking his lips, Jasper looked up to meet Edward's deep and piercing gaze. Jasper wanted to believe everything he saw in those fathomless, green eyes; love and truth and meaning all mingled with need.

"Edward." His voice was barely more than a whisper. "How much have you had to drink tonight?" he asked, praying that his conscience would allow him to continue no matter the answer. Confusion clouded Edwards gaze. Reaching out, he grasped Jasper's wrist and coaxed him back up his body. Jasper was reluctant to move at first, afraid it would end, terrified he'd wake up. He chose to comply though, sliding his body up Edward's.

Edward's hands were in Jasper's hair again, pulling him close as their mouths and hips met at once.

"Is that why you think I want this?" Edward whispered passionately, pulling away from Jasper to look into his eyes. Jasper remained silent, not wanting to destroy the moment any more than he already had.

Edward shook his head slowly. "I had one drink, Jasper. Hours ago… I meant everything I said in the hall. I _do_ love you." Jasper saw certainty burning in the depths of Edward's eyes as he allowed himself a moment to process the words.

"I love you, too." Relief flooded Jasper at his admission, finally allowing him to be entirely sensitive to what was happening.

They sealed the words with a slow, deep kiss as Edward reached down, unknotting the towel from Jasper's waist. Lips met, hands roved, bodies moved together in the stillness of the night around them. The heat and hardness of their bodies pressing together multiplying the sensations ten-fold as the reality of the situation came crashing over Jasper in a flurry of heated passion and love. Edward was his.

**A/N**

**Sara McLachlan – Answer**: **"****When the stars have all gone out, you'll still be burning so bright."**

**Thanks for reading 3**


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